Soul Mates
by musicallady1
Summary: I believe that my soul mate exists, but it is difficult sometimes to keep believing as I see all my friends happy and married, and sit here alone. Could it be that he was always sitting right in front of me?


A/N: This is my very first Rangiku/Toshiro story. It is based off the song "Soul Mate" by Natasha Bedingfield. It also tugs at my heart strings, and brings back memories. I hope you all enjoy it, and please leave a review even if you hate it. It makes me become a better writer if I know what I'm doing wrong.

**DISCLAIMER:** I DO NOT OWN BLEACH OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS!

**SOUL MATES**

**(A Toshiro Hitsugaya and Rangiku Matsumoto Story)**

"**Always a bridesmaid, never a bride"**

I knew I should never have went to see 29 Dresses with the girls, but Rukia, Orihime, Tatuski, and Nemu can be very persuasive when they want to be. I do have to admit that I had fun with them. It's been so long since we have had a "Girls Night Out", and I have to admit that the movie was funny. Never in my wildest dreams did I think life would imitate art. That seems to be my fate as I put on my third bridesmaid dress. It's a beautiful dress – pink chiffon that cinches the waist, and drapes down to the floor. Orihime specifically picked this dress out for me. She knows I love the color pink, and I'm grateful that she worked her wedding colors around the favorite colors of her bridesmaids, which included Rukia, Tatuski, and Nemu too.

I wonder when it is going to be my time to walk down the aisle, and not as a bridesmaid, but as a beautiful bride. I want the frills, chills, and thrills of planning a wedding. I want to see everyone's shining faces as they see how happy I am that I am marrying the man I love. I've already been to two weddings, in which I was a bridesmaid. The first was Ichigo and Rukia – no brainer there; it was exasperating waiting on those two to finally admit to the feelings of love that we all knew, Shinigami and human alike, saw brewing between them. The second one was a bit of a shock, but again not a brainer after the battle between her father and her now husband. We knew that Mayuri Kurotsuchi was not going to allow Nemu and Uryū Ishida to have a happy ending, without bloodshed. Little did he know it would be his blood flowing on the pavement in front of the Twelfth Division in Soul Society? Uryū went there with a purpose: not only to revenge his grandfather's senseless death, but to win the woman he loved with all of his heart. I, as well as the rest of the girls, suspect that Nemu poisoned her father before his battle with Uryū because he was definitely not performing on all levels. Then again, his craziness may have gotten the better of him. Since Uryu cannot become a captain due to his Quincy powers, Commander Yamamoto reinstalled Urahara Kisuke as Captain of the Twelfth Division, and thus Yoruichi Shihouin, Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu went back to Soul Society too. The third wedding was a shock to everyone because the two people kept their relationship such a secret. Lieutenant Renji Abarai and Orihime Inoue was not a match made in heaven – or least none of us thought so at first. Now, watching their relationship develop, it's plain to see how much they love each other, especially how much Renji indulges her. No one is happier than I to see Orihime get over her crush of Ichigo Kurosaki. I don't know how Renji did it, but he earned major brownie points for making one of my best friends happy. Therefore, I am not going to be depressed about my single status on this day because it is a wonderful occasion for Orihime and Renji.

However, while I am alone in the dressing room, my thoughts gravitate to the time when I thought I would be a bride. It was during the time when Gin and I were happy and together in the Soul Society. Little did I know he would turn his back on everything we believed and loved, to follow a sadistic, traitorous bastard a.k.a. Souske Aizen. My heart shattered in a thousand pieces when I found out his part in the whole deception that Aizen formulated, as well as the destruction of Central 46. They weren't the best and honest people, but they did not deserve to die such horrible deaths. I should have paid more attention to Gin when he kept asking me to run away with him. I never in my wildest dreams believed he was serious. I thought he was just kidding, and so I laughed it away every time. Right before he ascended up into Hueco Mundo, he told me I should have held on to him a little longer. Sometimes at night, as I look up at the star-filled sky, I wonder what it would be like in Hueco Mundo. Would I be just as happy if I had held on to him a little longer? Then, I think about my captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya, and I know that I would not be as happy because I had to leave him. Right now, he needs me; even if he doesn't admit it.

As I walk to the front of the shrine in Karakura Town, I dismiss all of my unhappy thoughts. This is not the time to be melancholy. This is Orihime and Renji's day, and I have to put on my "happy "smile. As I got into place, Captain Hitsugaya, my escort, looks over at me and smiles. I give him my fake smile, before turning back to face the double doors. He frowns for a minute, then grab my arm.

"Are you okay Rangiku?" he whispers.

"Fine, captain. No worries here!"

He looks at me as if he doesn't believe me, but that is neither here or there. It's Showtime! The doors open up to reveal a sea of familiar faces, mostly Shinigami, and a few school kids I recognized from my stint of being a high school student. We walk up the aisle, and separate to stand in our positions. One day, I think to myself. One day, I will be a bride, and not a bridesmaid. One day I will find my soul mate.

"**Always a groomsman, never a groom"**

I decided to get dressed in my tuxedo at The Urahara Shoten, and walk to the shrine where Vice Captain Renji Abarai and Orihime Inoue will say their vows and begin their lives together. I was astonished when Lieutenant Abarai asked me to be one of his groomsmen. I did not think we were that close. Then, I thought back to when Ichigo pulled me aside after one of our captains' meetings – yes, he gave up his body to become Captain of the Fifth Division, and his now wife, Rukia Kuchiki-Kurosaki is his lieutenant. Anyway, I digress. Ichigo pulled me aside and asked me why I was becoming so distant with him and his friends. I explained that I did not know I was doing such a thing, but I guess subconsciously I was being a little offstandish. I didn't know that they wanted a tendo captain as a friend. I guessed wrong. I still remember Ichigo telling me that we weren't just comrades and friends, but we – he, Chad, Uryū, Renji, and myself – were brothers, and we had to stick together at all times. Sometimes I am amazed at the logic that spills out of Ichigo Kurosaki. I suppose it was reading and teaching Shakespeare that changed him into such a romantic. Either that or he received too many kicks to the head by his petite wife.

As I walk down the street towards the shrine, I start thinking about my own dreams and desires. Most of the Soul Reapers still see me as a small, intelligent kid, although I am now standing at 5'3". I haven't had a date since I went out with Hinamori Momo, and that was disastrous in itself. We can only be friends, well more like brother and sister, than anything else. I want what Ichigo and Uryū has, and what Renji will have in a few hours. I want to stand at the end of the aisle and watch my beautiful girlfriend, dressed in all white, walk down to pledge her life to me, and mine to hers. I want a happy ending. It's too bad that the person I want that happy ending with doesn't even know I exist – outside of being her captain that she embraces only when she has had too much sake. Yes, I am in love with my lieutenant, Vice Captain Rangiku Matsumoto, and no one knows…she doesn't know. I truly believe that we are soul mates, but I don't know how to express my feelings to her, especially when I know she's still hung up on ex-Captain Gin Ichimaru. So, I make my journey through my afterlife, still alone.

I am not going to pressure Matsumoto; I will stay by her side until she figures out what she wants in life. I will stay in the shadows until she realizes that I am all she will ever need, and she can find her happy ending in the love that we can share. I enter the shrine just in time to see the bridesmaids' line up alongside their escorts: Ichigo and Rukia, Nemu and Uryū, Tatuski and Chad, and there stands the love of my life, dressed in pink. I stand there staring at her and her at me, until a frown appears on her lovely porcelain skin. I hurried into my place and look at her with a smile on my face. I noticed immediately that she has on her "fake" smile, and so I ask her what is wrong.

"Rangiku, what's the matter with you?" I whisper softly. I can hear the beginnings of the music to signal our entrance. I watched as the doors part open, and Ichigo and Rukia began making their way down the aisle.

"Nothing captain, I am fine," she replied.

Knowing that she is lying, but not having the time to discuss the matter properly, I grab her hand and smile at her. She looks over at me, and for the first time that day, gives me one of her true, genuine smiles. She knows that we will talk later, and there is no getting out of it. Finally, it's our turn to walk down the aisle, and I noticed that people were smiling brightly at us. It wasn't until we reached our destination to part ways, that I realized I had been holding her hand the entire way. I know my face is a bright cherry red, and I can see a thin, red line can be seen across Matsumoto's cheeks and nose. Holding my head slightly down, I shuffle over to my spot. Everyone forgets my embarrassment as the doors part again, and Orihime Inoue glides down the aisle with Isshin Kurosaki as her stand-in parent.

"A bride and a groom"

As the wedding proceeded and Commander Yamamoto blessed the union of Orihime and Renji Abarai, the wedding party got into cars to head to the location of the reception, which was set up in the park. Hopefully, there will be no hollows, Arrancar, Espada, or Aizen to interfere in this happy occasion. While everyone was associating and talking with one another, the married couples huddled off into a corner of the room. Rukia and Orihime noticed this first and included Renji, Uryū, Nemu, and Ichigo into the conversation.

"Why are we huddled in a corner again?" Ichigo asked.

"I know we all noticed the vibes between Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto," Rukia replied. "Now the question is what do we do to bring them together?"

"They like each other? I thought Toshiro was just embarrassed because he was caught holding her hand," Ichigo replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Can you be even denser, Kurosaki?" Uryū sarcastically asked.

"Hey! It's not like you noticed it first, Uryū. It took your wife as well as mine to see what was going on with those two. You are not so smart after all!"

"Can we please get back to the matter at hand, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime interrupted. "I would like to enjoy some part of my wedding reception with my husband." Orihime looked up into Renji's face, blushing, and Renji wrapped an arm around her waist bringing her closer to his side.

"Oh, sorry, Inoue, please continue Rukia," Ichigo replied, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist. They haven't told anyone that they were expecting a baby. They wanted to wait until Renji and Orihime return from their honeymoon, although the others had their suspicions anyway.

"We need to come up with a way to get Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto to reveal their feelings for each other," Rukia continued the conversation.

"Do we know for sure that they are in love with each other?" Nemu asked.

"By the looks of their faces, it's obvious that there are some feelings there. I suspect that Captain Hitsugaya has recognized his feelings of love for Rangiku, but I don't know about her. She is still up on Gin Ichimaru – that traitorous bastard," Renji replied. Orihime lovingly stroked his arm to calm him down.

"Hey what's going on over here? Why are you all being so secretive?" The subject of their conversation interrupted.

"We were talking about having a couples' getaway," Rukia hurriedly answered with a quick reply.

"Oh, really? That sounds like fun! Don't you think so Captain?"

"Whatever, Matsumoto; it doesn't concern us because we are not a part of a couple," Toshiro replied, eyeing the married couples with daggers.

"Come on, Toshiro, it's not like that at all," Ichigo interjected, totally oblivious to the captain's stares. "We weren't sure if the two of you would want to be paired together or not. We were trying to come up with a way to include you in our trip without it being difficult for the both of you."

"I have no problems being paired with my captain, if he doesn't have any problems," Matsumoto replied. "Is it okay with you Taicho?"

Toshiro blushed again and looked away before giving his answer in an affirmative nod.

"Great! We can all get together as soon as Renji and I come back from our honeymoon! It's like I'm getting two honeymoons for the price of one!" Orihime exclaimed. "Now, if you will excuse us, we have other guests to attend to. Come on, Renji!"

"Yes, great idea, Orihime," Rukia responded. "Come on Ichigo, I want to dance with my handsome husband before duty calls again."

As the rest of the group broke up, Toshiro and Rangiku were the only two left. Rangiku was hoping that her captain would ask her to dance, but she wasn't that hopeful. She knows he doesn't like to show his softer side in public. Meanwhile, Toshiro was wondering if Rangiku would say yes if he asked her to dance with him.

"So…" Rangiku started.

"So….Would you like to dance, Rangiku?" Toshiro finally calmed his nerves down in order to ask the strawberry-blonde bombshell standing next to him.

"Taicho, I thought you'd never ask! Rangiku quickly agreed, grabbing her captain's hand and dragging him out to the dance floor.

Both Rangiku and Toshiro were silently as they danced in each other's arms. Neither believed that this was actually happening. Toshiro wanted this moment for so long that he could truly bust a gut with being so happy. Rangiku, for the first, starts to feel that there is more to life than Gin Ichimaru.

"Rangiku, do you believe in soul mates?"

"Yes, I do captain. Why do you ask?"

"No reason at all, Rangiku. How about another dance?" Toshiro asks with a smile.

"I'd love to," Rangiku answered, placing her hands inside his.

**Soul mate lyrics**

Incompatible, it don't matter though  
'cos someone's bound to hear my cry  
Speak out if you do  
You're not easy to find

Is it possible Mr. Loveable  
Is already in my life?  
Right in front of me  
Or maybe you're in disguise

Who doesn't long for someone to hold  
Who knows how to love you without being told  
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own  
If there's a soul mate for everyone

Here we are again, circles never end  
How do I find the perfect fit  
There's enough for everyone  
But I'm still waiting in line

Who doesn't long for someone to hold  
Who knows how to love you without being told  
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own  
If there's a soul mate for everyone

If there's a soul mate for everyone

Most relationships seem so transitory  
They're all good but not the permanent one

Who doesn't long for someone to hold  
Who knows how to love you without being told  
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own  
If there's a soul mate for everyone

Who doesn't long for someone to hold  
Who knows how to love you without being told  
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own  
If there's a soul mate for everyone  
If there's a soul mate for everyone


End file.
